always a bull market somewhere. and i promise to try to find it for you here on "m this morning on "early today," heat exhaustion. millions of americans wait for relief from a record-breaking heat wave. fire in the hole. a decades'-old dorm at the university of alabama goes up in smoke. and a spectacular display. the largest fireworks show in the land marks america's 236th the largest fireworks show in the land marks america's 236th birthday. captions paid for by nbc-universal television hello and good morning. welcome to our viewers across the nation including the pacific time zone. i'm lynn berry. and today we begin with no relief. in many parts of the nation, it was a fourth of july for the record books with record heat as an early summer heat wave continues. meanwhile in the mid-atlantic

crews worked through the holiday to get the power back on after last week's deadly storms. nbc's john yang reports from chicago. >> reporter: across the eastern half of the country, americans spent the nation's 236th birthday trying to beat the heat. >> it's definitely really hot. >> reporter: chicago had only its second triple-digit force since it began keeping records. >> it is good and hot. >> reporter: milwaukee set an all-time record high for the day as did madison, wisconsin, south bend, indiana, and paducah, kentucky. st. paul, minnesota's scheduled half marathon was cut to five miles. in philadelphia's fourth of july parade, marchers sweltered as they passed independence hall. similar scenes in st. louis where they hit triple digits for a full week. a fire truck helped cool off spectators. the oppressive temperatures with highs near 100 from the plains

to the atlantic are the result of a massive hot air stalled over much of the nation's midsection. >> typically we don't see it this hot so early in the season. we're talking about unprecedented temperatures for places like atlanta, even st. louis seeing 100 degrees seven days in a row. that is something we don't normally see. >> reporter: and if that weren't enough, nearly a million people in ten states and the district of columbia spent the fourth just like their founding fathers, no electricity, no air conditioning. last week's ferocious storms are now blamed for at least 26 deaths. in washington there were no holidays for work crews removing downed trees so utility workers can begin to restore power. >> i can't wait to go home. i'm so tired of this. >> reporter: this family owned grocery store in chevy chase, maryland, has been without power since friday night. >> we've lost everything. we've lost everything that required refrigeration. >> that was nbc's john yang reporting. well, elsewhere fire crews are battling. they're trying to contain these

wildfires that are burning in nine western states. montana's largest fire has burned at least 16 homes and charred 380 square miles. high winds are whipping up the flames of the ash creek fire, which is about 55% contained. and in colorado fire officials are predicting full containment by sunday of the waldo canyon fire. that scorched 28 square miles and destroyed almost 350 homes. >> well, to the campaign trail now where president obama begins a bus tour through the swing states of ohio and pennsylvania. meanwhile in new hampshire yesterday, mitt romney spoke out about the health care mandate. nbc's tracie potts has more on this from washington. tracie, good morning. >> lynn, good morning. six stops in ohio and pennsylvania. the bus will begin just before lunch today and in addition to hitting some key states, he's also going to go after some key constituencies there.

polls are showing us that while he's doing very well with women, he's not doing a well with working class men. he will certainly run into a lot of them in the midwest. the bus tour focusing on areas of accomplishment and challenges like immigration policy, swearing in new citizens and talking about pushing laws like the dream act that will allow more citizens to stay. meantime mitt romney in new hampshire at a picnic, not focusing so much on the hard issues, however, he is answering a lot of questions about whether the new health care mandate is a tax or whether it's a penalty. he said in massachusetts it was a penalty, but the stream court says it's a tax and romney said the same yesterday. tomorrow we focus again on the economy and job numbers coming out. >> tracie potts in washington. thanks. well, now here's a look at some other stories making news early today in america. in alabama it was a different kind of fourth of july blast.

crews blew up a 13-story building complex at the university of alabama. the rose towers, as they're known, house more than 30,000 students and faculty over five decades. some of the alumnae even came back to watch a piece of their past come tumbling down. it's going to take three weeks to clean up all the rubble from the implosion. in illinois there was a train derailment and bridge collapse north of chicago. it's not clear which happened first, but several of the 138 train cars being hauled across the state were mangled up in that wreckage. the train was carrying coal from wyoming to wisconsin. no one was hurt. incidentally there was another derailment at the very same spot three years ago. and, finally, in missouri, patriotism can never start too early. newborn babies were wrapped up in red, white, and blue bunting at a maternity ward in st. louis. hospital volunteers put the finishing touches on the blankets right down to the stars.

well, now for a look at your national and regional weather, here's nbc meteorologist bill karins. he has the weather channel forecast. good morning, bill. >> we're always jealous because if we're up at this hour, most of us probably prefer to be sleeping and -- >> look so is comcomfy. >> looks super peaceful. good morning, everyone. hope you had a wonderful fourth of july. temperatures of course the story. here's a map that shows you just how hot it was in the nation's heartland. you can go from little rock northwards, wichita, kansas city, st. louis which was by far the hottest of any of the big e cities. the heat even spread into ohio and now arriving back on the east coast. so very dangerous day once again today. heat warnings in effect. could, 106 in st. louis and 103 in chicago. the heat wave will end, though. the world front draped across

southern canada will bring relief to the big heat wave as we go throughout the upcoming weekend. some of that air is actually heading into the northwest. and we are watching some of the rain showers. some of the heavier rains just to the east of interstate 80. so continue to see showers. and maybe could go to the pool in the cooler side with all the clouds and moisture around. only the mid-90s. spokane 83 and sunny? that's like take the day off, go to the pool. >> absolutely. we need some relief.

interest rates hang in the balance. another blow for barclays, and the new skyscraper that towers over london. your early morning business headlines are straight ahead. plus, new details on how katie holmes orchestrated her split from tom cruise. nash finds a home in hollywood, a wild day in nhl free agency, and you think you ate a lot of hot dogs yesterday? think again. you're watching "early today."

good morning and welcome back to "early today." i'm lynn berry, and here are some of your top headlines this morning. a house report obtained by the "associated press" finds that countrywide financial got around the law and influenced members of congress. six current and former members of the house and senate who received discounted loans include both democrats and republicans.

in new york a 30-foot yacht capsized off the coast of long isla island. bodies of three children were recovered. 23 others were pulled to safety. police are investigating whether high waves and heavy boat traffic played a factor. palestinian officials have agreed to exhume the body of former president yasser arafat because of suspicions that he was poisoned. a radioactive agent was found on arafat's clothing following his death in november 2004. scientists at the large hadron collider in switzerland announced they've likely discovered the so-called god particle. colliding protons were used to create the particle that may explain how stars, planets, and even life were created. and the rockets' red glare filled the sky above new york's hudson river during the 36th annual macy's fireworks display. mobs of new yorkers and tourists watched the colorful spectacle of 40,000 fireworks, celebrating america's independence day.

well, now here is an early look at how wall street will kick off the day after being closed for july 4th. the dow closed at 12,943 after adding 72 points tuesday. the s&p was up 8. the nasdaq gained 24. taking a look at overseas trading this morning, in tokyo, the nikkei lost 24 points, but in hong kong, the hang sang nudged up 99. well, the biggest news this week will be friday's jobs report. news out of europe could trigger some market movement today. the european central bank is expected to cut the region's interest rates to a record low today. the move is seen as essential in easing the eurozone's debt crisis. elsewhere overseas, moody's downgraded barclays' credit rating to negative this morning. the bank's former ceo was grilled by england's parliament yesterday where he apologized for, quote, reprehensible behavior by his traders for an interest rate fixing scandal, which is expected to spread.

volkswagen has ended a seven-year takeover saga, paying more than $5.5 billion in cash for the majority stake in porsche that it didn't already own. virgin australia has ordered 23 boeing 737 max-8 airplanes. the list price for those jets, $2.2 billion. well, word on the street is apple's parts supplier is gearing up for mass production of a smaller, less expensive ipad, which will reportedly be under 8 inches. the current ipad measures 9.7 inches. renting an apartment in the u.s. just got more expensive last quarter. a new report shows rental prices jumped 1% while the number of vacancies set a new ten-year low. and, finally, you can bet renting a flat in london's newest skyscraper won't be cheap. towering 95 stories high, the shard, which will be officially unveiled today is the tallest

building in western europe. well, coming up, a phillies pitcher gets a long awaited win, and big papi reaches a major league milestone. plus, the hot dog-eating champ hits his mark. your early morning sports headlines are straight ahead. after two weeks of this incredible heat, there's an end in sight. your forecast is coming up. you're watching "early today."

good morning. if you're just waking up, this is "early today." and in sports, knicks fans can forget about steve nash after the two-time nba mvp signed with the los angeles lakers yesterday. here's nbc's mario solis with an early look at all your sports headlines. >> hi, there. good morning. the lakers certainly know how to bring in the fourth of july with a bang. they acquired steve nash as a part of the sign-and-trade with the suns. the lakers sent four draft picks to phoenix for the two-time mvp. nash will reportedly receive a three-year deal worth more than $25 million. independence day was also kind to a pair of american hockey players. the top two free agents in the nhl are heading to minnesota. the wilds signed forward zach parise and defenseman ryan suter to identical 13-year, $98 million contracts. it's a homecoming of sorts for both players.

parise is from minneapolis, and suter was born in madison, wisconsin. to baseball, no way the yankees could lose on the fourth, right? robinson cano has been hotter than an m-80. singles in a pair in the eighth. yankees take the lead and beat the rays, 4-3. kevin youkilis is fitting in nicely with the sox. hit his first home run tuesday and his first walk-off yesterday. singles home the game-winner against the rangers. sox won 5-4 in ten. time to change our sox. red sox and a's. david ortiz gets ahold of one, wraps a home run around the right field foul pole. that is number 400 in big papi's career. unfortunately not enough. oakland wins, 4-3. cliff lee is off his schneid. took him two months. he finally picks up his first win of the year, striking out nine over eight. phils beat the mets, 9-2. and, finally, here's one guy who can eat you out of house and home. the annual nathan's hot dog eating contest at coney island. after ten minutes of inhaling dogs, joey chestnut is the wiener. tied his own world record with 68 dogs and buns.

the other contestants couldn't cut the mustard. joey chestnut is the top dog. i'm sure he'll relish this moment for the rest of his life. chestnut wins ten grand, the mustard yellow belt, and a stomachache. and that's your look at sports on "early today." i'm mario solis. it's always tough to watch. coming up, baby news from two celebrity couples. your early morning entertainment headlines are straight ahead. plus, one wisconsin inn's fitting tribute to america's favorite sheriff. you're watching "early today."

hope you had a wonderful fourth of july. if you like warm summer weather, it looks like it's finally heading to the northwest. this will probably be one of your nicest stretches of summer like temperatures and dry weather that we've had this season. right now temperatures are warm from boise heading into 90 around medford, 84 around portland and seattle. we do it all over again friday and the great stretch of weather continues in to your weekend. if you're watching us on news 8 in portland, learn how the environment shapes the way animals think and how they've evolved with humans. wild minds at the oregon museum of science and industry. >> bill, thanks so much. and now here's an early look at this morning's headlines in entertainment. and we're going to begin with the very latest of the tom cruise/katie holmes divorce saga.

>> this is a daily segment. >> probably will be. an attorney for holmes is denying reports the actress wants an emergency hearing on custody and child support. this comes in response to online reports that say holmes filed an application that could have resulted in a public hearing. meanwhile published reports say katie holmes planned an intricate escape from the marriage, including securing a new york city apartment, cutting off all communication from her friends and switching cell phones and e-mail addresses. >> a public hearing televised? >> you'd definitely avoid that. yeah. >> well, two weeks after tying the knot, matthew mcconaughey tweeted he and his wife are expecting their third child. the new baby will join 3-year-old brother levi and 2-year-old sister vida. and rep confirms actress claire danes and actor hugh dancy who wed in 2009 are expecting their first child. and, finally -- that was fast. just days after pulling the plug on his personal twitter page, alec baldwin sent out a tweet on

his foundation's page plugging an upcoming podcast. you know, he quit after all the scuttlebutt of the wedding. >> i didn't know that, but a little addicting, huh? he couldn't go cold turkey. >> as we've taught you, bill. it took us a while to get you on the bandwagon. >> i'm working on it. >> you're here. you're here to stay. and this comes to us from kare 11 news in minneapolis where in nearby clear lake, wisconsin, mayberry lives on even after the loss of andy griffith. inside a bed and breakfast it was remodeled to look exactly like the set from the "andy griffith show." look at that. each room has been duplicated to the smallest detail. they even found space in the basement for a replica of the jail sheriff andy taylor watched over. a way for fans everywhere to remember one of the most famous series in tv history. i'm lynn berry, and this is "early today," just your first stop of the day, today on your nbc station.

in hong kong spectators were treated to a daring sun show. 20 scholars of chinese martial arts showcased their skills in front of the world's largest seated buddha. the long time students are displaying their talents on stage as well as anyone interested in learning kung fu. one student admitted to being inspired by bruce lee. plus, have you appreciated pandas lately? look no further than london. that's where over 100 people dressed in panda costumes and performed tai chi to mark the beginning of panda awareness week. who knew. each one represents the 108 pandas kept at the world's large giant panda base in china and organizers thought it would be the perfect way to raise support for panda conservation and protection. >> who knew there were the that

many panda suits in the world. that's great. and finally ireland's social media saved the day. a jack russell terrier named patch ran away from his owner's home, walked a mile to a train station and boarded a train to dublin. passengers alerted the irish rail staff who sent out a tweet with the dog's photo. the post was retweeted 500 times before being seen by the owner who eventually got patch back home safely. the end. this is like the 2012 version of like, you know, lassie. >> where do you start with that? >> i know. we don't have enough time to start with that so let's just stop. it's time now for an early look at some of the stories we'll follow throughout the day on nbc. a florida judge ll decide whether or not to grant a second bond for neighborhood watchman who shout trayvon martin. george zimmerman's bond was revoked last month after the judge ruled he and his wife weren't honest about their finances.

nasa plans to launch a mission from the white sands missle range in new mexico to study the cost of solar storms. the flight will only last eight minutes and it will measure the legend and direction of magnetic fields on the sun's surface. and happy birthday to '80s rocker huey lewis who turns 62. all day long you can stay on top of the very latest developments in those stories and more as they break on msnbc. and tonight be sure to watch brian williams with "nbc nightly news." and, finally, here's a look at what's coming up later this morning on the "today" show. a live report how katie holmes orchestrated her sudden split from tom cruise. and see the memorable moments from a mother meeting her newborn daughter for the first time after being unconscious during her delivery. now keep it on this channel for continuing local news, weather, sports, and more. i'm lynn berry. thanks for watching "early today," just your first stop of the day, today on your nbc station. the day, today on your nbc station. have a good one. -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com

have you heard of rett syndrome? rett syndrome is a neurological disorder which occurs mostly in girls. she loses the ability to speak, use her hands or even feed herself. she may also lose the ability to walk. a girl with rett syndrome makes constant hand-washing or handwringing movements. the international rett syndrome foundation hopes to find the families affected by this devastating disorder. please call 1-800-818-7388 or visit rettsyndrome.org today. your help is our hope.